Sweet Smell of Despair
by Chucklez
Summary: Life is cold and unforgiving. Travel with the man known as 34115 to Houston, TX to find his pregnant wife who was captured by the evil police force of FEMA. Read as he learns the price he must pay to find what is faintly called Hope.
1. Prolouge

**Prolouge**

Death. What a foul smell it has. It's been filling my nostrils like a poisonous gas since I got here; whenever that was…. Three days maybe? A week? I can't remember anymore. Why did I ever say those things, walk around like I owned the damn world? I knew they would find me and lock me up in this goddamn shit-hole.

I can't even bare to look at this fucking place. Iron fences imprison us within a train yard of hell. Children crying for the shrill of absent mothers. The sight of grown men falling to the feces and disease-ridden ground hoping for the sweet release of death. It's so bad, everyone wants on the "Party Line". That's the name given to the lucky bastards who get to walk into the injection room. The free ticket to anywhere but life…

I haven't made it there yet. I'm not that lucky. Call it Karma, call it "Pissing Whoever the Fuck Runs the Universe Off…" Whatever. I don't give a shit. I just want out of this life. I was one of the lucky few to be immune to the vaccines…if you want to call them that….the government made mandatory for all kinds of shit. H1N1, you name it. It's all the same; the plan was to get you worried about getting sick, manipulating the press and media. Telling you "Look at this! So many people are sick! It's an epidemic, hurry get a vaccine before you die!"

It was so easy making you want the vaccine. You take it like the sniveling coward you are, thinking you'll never be sick again. Think you're fucking Superman. Yeah, me too. But the trick was that the vaccine actually carried a new artificial plague. Then they tell you that you need cured again. So they send you to the "quarantine camp" telling you its a little retreat while they find your so called "cure". Then you end up here.

If you're like me, your immune to this disease and you know the plan now. So you try speaking out against it. You get all self-righteous and courageous….but all you've really become is a zit in the plans of the people running the world. You need to be exterminated just like those sick people.

So they track you through corporate branches like "Big Brother" and they stalk you, just waiting like a wild animal waiting to pounce on its prey. They wait until you're outside carrying in your groceries and medical treatments for your wife, who by the way, probably will get sick and die anyway; and they drag you here by force.

It's not like it matters anyway. I'm just like everyone else in here: named by the number and penned up as a fucking worthless animal. There's no one to save us. No hope. I even have trouble remembering my name anymore. I've been referred to by that number so much it's become who I am. 34115. I have it memorized in the back of my head. It's all I have anymore and that damn guard Jennings knows it. 34115. He makes me recite it like a poem.

To him I'm fucking worthless and unworthy to be on this Earth. He wants to torment me. 34115. It must be on the dot. Not too slow or I'm being a lazy dip shit. Not too fast or I'm a fucking smart-ass. I've said those digits so many times they're embedded in my jaw. My stomach is painted black and blue from the butt of his rifle.

I wish I could see his cold heartless face behind that gas-mask. I want to claw his eyes out with my fingers. I want him to look into my eyes the way I look into those black empty lenses. Ah, here he comes now.

"Alright you fucking worm. TELL ME WHAT YOUR GODDAMN NAME IS BECAUSE I JUST CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT YOUR WORTHLESS SACK OF SHIT IS CALLED!" he screamed through the muffled curtain of his mask.

"3…4…1…1…5," I recited like an uncaring robot as I have for so long. I spoke with a tone of hatred and sarcasm. I knew it would piss him off, but quite frankly I didn't give a shit.

"YOU FUCKING LITTLE SHIT DICK! How dare you get smart with me. Get ready for the Hole you Fuck-weed!" With that he looked down on me as he always did, and being the dog I am; I looked away as if he were my superior.

CRACK!

That sharp, reverberating pulse was lightning through my skull. I felt the abrasive, cold palm of the dirt against my face. My ears popped like a firecracker and the ringing soon drowned the rest out. That cold abyss of darkness soon took hold of my consciousness again. I was free to dream, free to rest my soul.


	2. Chapter 1

**Pain Paid in Kind**

Oh my God, the pain. It's almost unbearable. It's eating at my skin like an infectious parasite, clawing at my bones, and ripping through my organs. I can't even breathe. I knew I should have watched how I recited my number. 34115. I could have avoided this agony. Why won't this gas kill me already?

I've almost become accustomed to this room. They call it the Hole. I've been here so many times before; it's almost too familiar to me like a second home. The cold, hard tiles are jagged shards of ice beneath my quivering feet. The walls which shrink by the second are stained as black as my lungs by the gas. It travels through those long corroded pipes along the ceiling. It travels down the wall and out the end near my face where it burns my body and puts its invisible hands around my neck; choking the life out of me.

I'm only supposed to be in here for 30 minutes by camp regulation. Jennings knows the rules as well as I do. But he wants me to suffer more than anyone else. He wants my very will to live smothered away by pain and torture. He leaves me in here for hours at a time hoping that when he comes back, I'm so close to death that he can taste the decay through that cold ominous mask.

I don't hate him for it though. Hate is a word for the pussies who think they could do something about it. No, I don't hate him. Instead, I loathe the one who gives him his next breath, I wish to that being in control of his miserable existence to take his every fiber of his presence and obliterate it one by one. Then that very same God can do it to himself.

After that long hour of agony, Jennings returned only out of fear that the warden would see how long I've been in here. That sniveling guard turned off the gas valve and slammed the door open. As he walked towards me, he patted his hand with his night stick. I knew what was coming as well as he did.

He grabbed my matted hair and twisted it as if to pull it out of my scalp. Suddenly, I felt numb across my face as he smashed my checks from left to right with that fucking stick. My vision blurred and my legs were no longer functioning.

As I fell, the guard grabbed my beaten skull and cracked it against the wall. It felt like my skull fractured into millions of glass shards. That unbearable pain stabbed my brain with its dagger. My consciousness began to fade away from me again. Was he going to let me dream again? Was he letting me off this easily? No, I didn't think so. He grabbed me by my scarred neck and shook me awake.

I stared at him with dazed vision. I knew he was smiling through that damn gas-mask. I've come to know him quite well. Jennings brought me close to his faceless head and I could hear the muffle of his filtrated air. I saw him reach into his pocket. And what he pulled out, I would never forget.

"You know what this is don't you worm?" he snarled, "That's why I left you in here for so long. It's your birthday present! I hope you like it."

He flicked the igniter for the lighter. The flicker grew in my fearful eyes. My vision was consumed by the dancing fire. It taunted me as it bobbed up and down and flickered from side to side. It knew no mercy, it wouldn't feel bad about scorching every inch of by body. I'm the only person who is going to feel anything. He laughed at my fear and quickly threw the flame into my face. My face was soon engulfed in the arms of hell.

I could do nothing but scream. It ate through my already blistered skin. Its fiery teeth sunk in to my very bones. The stench as it burned was the last thing I remember before that peaceful blanket of darkness covered my torment. Happy Birthday to me.

I awoke back in my prison to the loud crackle of gunfire. Perhaps another prisoner who thinks he's man enough is trying to escape. It doesn't matter how fast you think you are. You're not faster than a bullet to your brain. Speaking of which, I'm surprised mine is still functioning. Anyway, the sounds grew louder and soon, uproar of prisoners drowned the gunfire out. What was happening?

Suddenly as the chaos started, a tidal wave of prisoners swarmed through the camp as a number of men holding rifles were unlocking our cages. Who are they? Why are they freeing us? Soon, my gate was opened and a masked figure approached me.

"Can you fire a rifle?" He asked.

I could not speak through the enormous swelling in my throat. Could I fire a rifle? I can hardly see through the scarred tissues of my eyes. Despite my physical difficulties, I nodded my head and gave a grunt somewhat of a yes. With that, he threw me a firearm and ran out. As I caught my new toy, the cold feel of the metal buzzed the palm of my hand, cooling the burning sensation. I now had a score to settle. I cocked the weapon and ran out of my filthy pen. In front of me about 40 yards was the guard depot. Ready or not here I come, Jennings.

I smashed in the door with the bottom of my foot. The wood was nothing more than paper as it gave way under the force of my anger. You can't hide from me. I raised my rifle and aimed it upon the shadows. I know he's in here. That coward won't come out and fight me, so I'll just find him.

I can taste the vengeance upon my charred lips. Into the main office I barreled my way. The lights were off, but that wasn't a problem. I can smell him. The sent of cheap booze and medical supplies filled the room as if it were a light leading me right to him. As I walked towards the desk, I saw his feeble body in the fetal position under it like it would actually save him. Let's have some fun.

"Gee, should I recite my name again for you sir?" I taunted with a gruesome raspy tone, "34115!"

There was a ruffle under the large oak desk. I could sense his fear. I stomped my foot into the ground with all the force I had.

"Was that too goddamn slow?" I yelled.

I slammed the butt of my rifle into the desk and flipped it on its side, revealing my hiding tormentor. I will make my pain his. My misery his own. He brought upon the wrath of a thousand hells. I shot his leg from point blank range. The splatter of blood and the snap of bone echoed through the room.

"C'mon talk to me! WAS THAT TOO GODDAMN SLOW?"

I lowered the rifle towards his right leg. He screamed in agony as I pulled that cold, unforgiving trigger. Yes. I love it. I beat his skull into the floor with the butt of my weapon just to hear him scream some more. I want him to plead for his pathetic life the way I did for so long under his tyranny. I took his mask and placed it aside. I want to see the face of my devil. I want to watch him suffer face to face. His face was that of a mere cowardly man. His cheeks were chubby and his hair was balding. His eyes were watering in pure terror.

"P-please! I'm sorry! DON'T KILL ME!" he screamed.

I stuck my disfigured face right in his, "Kill you? Is that what you think I want to do? After all the good times we had?"

I grabbed the knife from his security vest and stabbed his side. I wrenched the blade in then back out. I will kill you. But I want to enjoy it. I firmly secured him to the floor which soon became stained red with his blood as I lightly sliced across his major veins and arteries. I didn't get an A in anatomy for nothing.

Finger by finger I dismembered him smiling as I did so. I could see the life bleeding out of him. He didn't have much longer. His screams got softer and softer until he had only enough energy to breathe. I placed my face right next to his and began to whisper,

"My name was Thomas."

With that, the one person in my life that I knew so well, died. But he wasn't the only one. On this day I died as well. Thomas Allen was no more. Only 34115 remained.

I took the god-awful mask off the floor and placed it over my burned face. I want those who cross me to feel the torment as I did. I want them to see the face of death. I stood up off the blood-soaked floor and walked back out into the cold grasp of the night. I guess now I will meet with whoever let me out of my hell. They've just unleashed a beast…


	3. Chapter 2

**Looks Like We Have Visitors**

I returned to the cold hug of Texas air as I stepped back outside. It whipped against my tattered clothes and pinched my wounds; however there was a new feeling in the air. Not pain. Not Death. Not even Sorrow. It was relief. I actually felt relieved; calm in-fact. If there weren't other matters to take care of, I'd almost take a second to enjoy it. I feel strange just thinking the word "enjoy". Enjoyment was as far away from me as Space, I had forgotten it even existed.

I held my weapon firm and walked back down to the campgrounds where there was a mass collection of prisoners crowded around the camp's podium. We usually do this when the Warden has an announcement of some sort, which by the way is never good. But judging by the commotion of the crowd this was something important to hear. I nudged my way passed the repulsing bodies of other prisoners. Their god-awful stench was enough to make me pass out even with a gas-mask, but I guess that's to be expected from sleeping in dirt and showering in noxious gases.

I found my way to the front of the crowd to see a squad of men atop the platform. They obviously had made short work of the camp faculty and with good reason. The men wore what looked like scavenged armor from various sources including Police, S.W.A.T., and even that of the military. Their weapons were less than top quality but deadly enough to get the job done. Yet, one man stood out of the rest.

The man was obviously built to fight standing at least 6 foot 5" with arms and legs like that of cannons off a battle ship. His face was covered by a hybrid mask of bits and pieces of a gas-mask, an old U.S. Marine helmet, and tactical goggles. The man's torso also consisted of scavenged body armors. Yet, what stood out the most to me was the insignia on his chest. It looked like the American symbol of justice with crossbones beneath it.

I must say I give these walking Power Rangers credit for their creativity, not to mention the weapon; but let's hope they actually have some kind of plan devised. I doubt the corporate people in charge of this place will like to hear that they have just had their camp taken over and had a whole poked in their wallets. I waited to hear the tall man speak, which after a moment of waiting for the crowd to settle, he did.

"Hello fellow Americans, I am acting Ground-Officer Sergeant Pike. On behalf of the Regulators of Liberty, Operation Dusk is in effect. As tribute to your freedom, I encourage all of you willing and able to take up arms and join us in our fight. Our mission is simple: reclaim the state of Texas and eventually this country. You will not be forced to join, but if you refuse, you must leave this facility. It is now our new base of operations. If you do join, your first task will be to help us reclaim the Bilderberg-controlled oil rig a few miles from here. To your left is our quartermaster who will arm you with the basic supplies and weapon of the Regulators. To your right is the gate. You all know what waits for you there. Don't let it hit you in the ass of the way out. That is all."

After hearing his speech, many left the campgrounds in groves. Obviously what many of them didn't realize is that they will most likely die out there alone, between the gangs, raiders, and the rouge soldiers. I, myself, thought it might be fun to shoot more things. I realized my passion of mindless killing. There was no way I'd pass up the chance to cause more mayhem.

It was just too much fun. I waited in line until it was my turn to receive my basic supplies and uniform. It was like getting one of those bags at a party. The quartermaster, after handing me my bag, looked at me with a "what the fuck is that?" face and stepped forward. He was looking at my camp ID tag. 34115. My name.

"Excuse me sir, Im going to have to ask you to remove those tags. No unapproved neckwear."

He reached his hand forward to remove it from my neck. What the hell does he think he is doing? I snatched his arm out of my face and wrenched it down across my body. I held it with a cold, hateful grip as if I was going to crush every bone in his body. He grimaced in pain when I did so.

"Unless you want to lose this hand, I'd suggest you fuck off," I sneered in anger.

The men around me were quick to react. Within at least a couple of seconds, their guns were raised to my head ready to separate it from my body. Great. I pissed them off before I even started. I didn't even get to shoot someone. Oh well, can't say I didn't see it coming. Have at it boys.

"Stand down!" Someone ordered from behind me.

The guns were dropped from my face and I turned to see who had postponed my brains from staining the ground. It was the man from the podium. Sergeant Pike or something like that. Yeah. Let's see what the leader of the Power Rangers has to say.

"I admire your aggressiveness there, son," he said, "I need someone like you in this fight."

The quartermaster had regained control of his hand and looked at his superior in complete shock. "Sir, if I may say, this man is-" he began before he was interrupted.

"This man is a squad leader," said the Sergeant, "get him a suit of armor and an insignia. Then you come see me in my tent."

I was just as stunned as the pussy Quartermaster. I almost smiled under my mask, but my face still burned like a motherfucker. After being given my new uniform, I removed my filthy camp garb and replaced it with the body armor. It felt warm, safe and fucking lethal. I felt like a bullet proof train. As ordered, I approached the tent. There were two men guarding the entrance like little toy soldiers. Pathetic. I proceeded to enter once the two boy-scouts saw my insignia and stepped out of the way.

When I entered, Sergeant Pike was talking to another squad leader. Most likely about the same bullshit he was going to tell me next. As he finished, I looked around the tent. In the center of the room was a small wooden table taken from the warden's office. I noticed it right away because I saw the crack in the side where the bastard slammed my face into the desk. To my left was a tiny army cot where Pike stood and to the right was a map of the points of interest in the surrounding area of the camp. My head turned when I heard the Sergeant speak loud enough for me to hear.

"That's all," he told the other man.

I stepped forward once the other man left. Here we go with the authority crap. I might as well tell him how it's going to be before he finds out the hard way.

"Before you give me the 'I'm your superior crap' let me just tell you this: I have a problem with authority, I kill anything that moves and I'm reaaally in a bad mood right now," I told him.

He chuckled, surprisingly, and began, "That's why I picked you. I need a bad ass motherfucker who can get the job done no questions asked. All I ask of you is, don't kill my men, get the job done, and make one hell of a mess along the way."

I like this guy already. This is my kind of a job and this guy speaks my language. I'd be more than happy to get started as soon as possible. I think these power rangers might just be killers after all. All except for that Quartermaster. I have a feeling me and him are gonna' have a talk again. Don't worry; I won't hurt him until he starts it. God, I hope he starts it.

"Get some sleep tonight; your tent is five down left from here. First thing we need to treat those burns then we'll have you assemble your team tomorrow. Then it's off to your first mission. That's all for now."

"Yes sir," I replied.

I wondered how the hell he knew about my burns first of all. But for the time being, it really wasn't all that important. I started for the exit of the tent. I might just get a good night's sleep tonight. I haven't had one of those in so long. I wonder what it feels like.

All this time I thought death was my only way to escape, but maybe it was never my death that set me free. Maybe it's the death of others that will bring me happiness. As these thoughts rolled through my head, I opened the flap to the tent. I looked out into the dark nighttime sky and sighed a sweet breath of relief…


	4. Chapter 3

******Chapter 3: I'm Not a Team Player**

You goddamn whore! I pulled my face away from the hands of the nurse as she rubbed some kind of cream on my cheeks and forehead. Jesus, that hurts. This is way too early for me to be up anyway, not to mention have my scorched face rubbed on. She smiled when I pulled away. What a bitch. Good thing she's pretty or I'd backhand the hell out of her.

"Oh come on you baby," she teased, "I'm almost done."

I let her finish screwing my face up. She then took some gauss tape and wrapped half of my face in it. I, by the way, hate the smell of gauss tape. She told me I could go, but I waited for her to leave. When she did, I checked out her ass and legs. Damn, she had it going on down there. Maybe when I'm done with my first love of killing, I might just have to….

"Glad to see your enjoying the nurse, Squad Leader," said a man from outside the tent.

It was Pike. I stood up, ignoring the remark and put on my mask and uniform. He stepped inside and waited for me to finish. When I did, he lead me outside into the dawn. The morning was wet with moisture and ground was damp with dew. The Sergeant lead me to a group of soldiers waiting for him. There were at least ten of them, three of them were camp members that I remember having cages close to mine.

"Take your pick," he said, "only 4."

Man, it was like picking kids for a school yard game. Except the game I was playing wouldn't be so nice. I want only the most hard-core and deadly on my team. I scanned the group looking for my crew of death. Hmmm….I saw a big black man in the back. He had a scar across his face which looked pretty menacing by itself. His arms looked like fucking tree trunks. Fucking bad ass.

"I want that Nigger in the back," I said with a cold uncaring tone.

He stepped forward and saluted me and stepped to my right side. I could tell he heard my racist comment. Hehe, I really couldn't resist. Now, whose next? Whoa, hold on. I just noticed a man in the far right. His expression was completely twisted and he twitched like an LSD addict. He seems interesting.

"Can this man shoot?" I pointed.

One of the regulators replied, "Hell yeah, I saw him shoot a guard from a catwalk with a pistol from 40 feet away!"

"He's a sick little bastard though, he shit all over his cell then stabbed the guard to death with a fucking pencil! I read it on his record in the warden's office," another said.

A man after my own heart! Just what I need. I gestured for him to join me. Now just two more little bastards. I already had more than what I needed. I need to do this professionally. I closed my eyes and randomly chose the next two. They couldn't tell I did this beneath my mask, so it's all good. Alright done. Let's move on to more important things, like killing. Lots of it.

"Alright, mission time," I stated as I looked back at Pike.

"Hehe, not just yet. Be back here tomorrow for debriefing and then we head out, but first we still got to assemble the other squads," he told me.

He nodded and walked off to the other squads. Goddamn it. Tomorrow? What am I supposed to do for the rest of the day? I want out of here now. Eh, I wonder if that nurse is busy…

"Sir?"

One of the men from my new team stepped forward. He must have been one of my randomly picked choices. He was a white man, about 5 ft 10" with that familiar shaved head, courtesy of the camp. His brown eyes were heavy with black bags of pain underneath. His body was sickly, but that face….it had something I haven't seen in a long time. It was youthful, no older than 18 or 19. He must have been a lady-killer before this shit. Yet, more importantly was beyond his face itself, it was his mouth. He had a smile.

"Yeah, what is it?" I asked.

"Well, sir, I just want to say thanks for picking me. I'm sure I will-" he said before I cut in.

"No, stop right there, Skippy. Don't thank me. In fact, all of you listen to me. You are all the most unlucky group of people here. Do you know why? Because I'm a fucking psycho. I will kill anything that moves and I'm hardly a team leader," they all looked at me as I continued, "I'm only helping out for a free ride to as close as they'll get me to the Big Shots. So if you plan on living, here's the fucking rules. One, stay out of my way. Two, don't call me Sir because I don't deserve respect. Three, if you want to impress me, murder is what I'm looking for. Senseless murder. Now, if you will excuse me, I have some business to attend to."

The team was silent, all except for the little smiling brat took their weapons and left. He stood there for a moment to take in what I had said, then his smile evaporated of his face. He, then too, left with the others. Good, no more smile. Fucking little prick almost made me sick. I walked past the rows of make-shift tents, they were lined off like houses. It somehow reminded me of the old neighborhood.

I opened the flap to the barrack tent and walked back inside. Inside was one table for all of us to eat and play cards at and then there were the bunk-beds. Disgusting, scratchy, and with another man right above me while I sleep. Peachy, right? I fell into the hard mattress and into the arms of sleep. My thoughts vanished and the arms rocked me into that sense of comfort, almost has if all the shit in my life never existed. I love sleep.


	5. Chapter 4

**********A Short History Lesson**

_"__Wake up honey" she spoke with that soft, milky voice._

_____I looked up at her from my warm pillow. The sun's yellow rays passed through the window onto her perfect brown hair, turning it into a sea of gold. It looked like honey straight from a hive. Her face, soft and loving, smiled at me with that gorgeous grin she always had. She rivaled that of God's most beautiful angel. _

_______I sometimes wonder what I did for He, himself to give me his most beautiful creature in the universe. Whatever it was, I'm glad I did it. I'd do it a million times over again._

_________"__Yeah," I said sleepily as a stared into those diamond blue eyes._

_____________"__I think the baby's kicking," her words floated through the air on an invisible cloud._

_________________I moved my head to her belly and listened. After hearing a soft thump inside. I almost cried. That's my child in there. It loves me already, I know it. My life has been blessed more than the richest king. _

___________________I have a job as a very successful talk-show host, number two in the nation in fact. I have been given my angel I call my "wife", and now a baby soon to arrive. I just hope this isn't some kind of dream to wake up from._

_____________________"__I heard it, Jess," I said, "I heard it."__  
__Suddenly a loud screech from a crow sounded from outside the window. Damn bird, it built a nest up there last summer and now it's back. As it sounded off like a siren, I looked at Jessica and got up from the bed. Walking along the cold floor, opened the window and shoo-ed the annoying pest away. How weird, that crow was bigger and louder than I last remembered._

___________________________Anyway, that's not going to ruin my Saturday. I lay beside her and she took my hand. Her skin was like lavender against my own. She smiled again as she rubbed my arm. God, I might just melt. I cupped her hands in mine and leaned forward as my lips met hers. It was like picking strawberries off a bush in the early morning._

_____________________________"__Can you go carry in the groceries for me, please," she coaxed, "I went and got them, this morning."_

_________________________________I glanced at my pants on the floor,"Haha, I knew there was a price. Yeah, I'll be right back."_

___________________________________After putting on my clothes, I walked down the brown, oak stairs. I opened the white door to the outside. The morning was cool and bright. The sun glanced off the tree in the front yard and glistened in the dewy grass causing diamonds in the blades. _

_____________________________________The birds flew while sang about their business. I stepped onto the sidewalk, continuing to the car. I opened the trunk and lifted the bags of food in my arms. As I closed the hatch, I saw Jess standing there watching over me. I can't describe her anymore than perfect._

_______________________________________"__I love you!" I yelled._

___________________________________________She waved, "I lo-"_

_____________________________________________She suddenly stopped and her eyes widened like giant saucers. Her face was struck with shock and horror. What the heck? What's wrong?_

_______________________________________________Thump!_

_________________________________________________My neck was engulfed in tremendous stinging pain. My eyes burned instantly and my body ceased to be under my control. My groceries no longer existed and I fell to the concrete feeling only the cold surface on my face. My vision began to fade. I looked at the door where she stood. There were other figures there…..men? They seemed to be talking about something. NO! They grabbed her and drug her down like a rag-doll. I will fucking kill you!_

___________________________________________________My ears rang like church bells. My limbs were as stiff as a board. I felt something still in my neck…a dart? A tranquilizer perhaps? God, why does it burn?_

_____________________________________________________I felt myself being drug across the ground but I didn't care. My wife was tied and gagged and the men continued into my house. I tried to fight back but my body would not function. WHY IS THIS HAPPENING? My wife….my Jess._

_______________________________________________________I was thrown into the back of what I think was a large truck. The steel floor was hard and unforgiving against my back. Then, right in front of me was a man. His face was hidden in a tactical SWAT mask. But I could see the gun and the most important thing in all of this. On his chest was the seal of my fate. I could hardly see it in my blindness but I made out it out. Federal Emergency Management Agency was emblazoned on his chest._

_________________________________________________________"__Welcome to the New World Order," he spoke with a cold voice…._

I leaped up from my bed in fright. My face doused in cold sweat and my hands shivering. I had that dream again. The very memory of that day they took everything from me, my very reason to live. They will fucking pay. Every single one of them. Especially all those directly involved with my capture. Consider me the Agent of Karma.

Well since it's the middle of the night, I guess its time for a quick history lesson. Oh boy. What a treat. A history lesson from the most fucked up book on the shelf: my life. I'd go grab a snack real quick, or maybe take a piss. I wouldn't want you to piss yourself.

It all started almost 4 years ago, in 2011. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA had reached its final phase in operations. We thought it was created for natural disasters. Well what we didn't know was that they created those disasters in the first place. From economic crisis to terrorist attacks, they set it all up in false flag operations.

Now, the constitution is all but some piece of paper sitting in a bunker in the middle of DC. It holds no power. All forms of communication and media have been suspended and the only way you can send a message to someone without FEMA in your face is by mouth or by primitive radio frequencies.

After giving all power and sovereignty to the United Nations and the world banking system, it started training in search and seizure operations for FEMA's ground forces when capture of uncooperating U.S. citizens began. You didn't think we Americans would take this global sellout so easily did you?

Next the other divisions of FEMA were used to induce biological weapons for use in medicines and vaccines to help wipe out the mass majority of the population. This was done slowly and carefully so that by 2012, it was in full effect. Thousands of sick, died or were moved to camps all over the country.

People like me, successful people of the media, poked our little noses out and decided we could win a battle already light-years above our heads by speaking out against these actions. That's when EXECUTIVE ORDER 10995 and EXECUTIVE ORDER 11000 went into effect. Bilderberg, the company run by the U.N, could now control the media and mobilize civilians into camps for any work or reason assigned by the new global government.

How could this happen, you ask? Well it's simple. The U.S. and U.N. has been slowly working on things that would future aid them for this since the 1900s. I'm not saying the government was behind it back then, I'm merely saying they knew that if one day they needed these extreme actions, they were there for safe keeping.

I'm not sure if even the president knew of just how extreme these actions were. He just knew that the government said it needed to be done, so he waved his almighty pen and set it into effect. And now, 2015. Everything is all in plan. The states are now run by Bilderberg and policed by FEMA.

The population will soon be under control within the next five to ten years. Three-fourths of us will either be dead or in a camp and the rest escapees, gangs, or glorified organizations like the Regulators of Liberty. The only people free of this hell are the rich bastards in safe-houses and the foreign goons they use to do the dirty work.

Soon, they will all pay. I am a man of my word. I am a man who has had every life, liberty, love, and happiness stolen from me. I know I'll never get it back, that ship sank with my capture. No, I can only promise death and destruction for the rest of the world…

But maybe there is still a chance….maybe I can still find her.


	6. Chapter 5

******____________________________________________________________********Chapter 5: Let Slip the Dogs of War**

The rain-doused wind swept up from every direction. Its cold tail whipped into the air and smacked against my body. I could feel the tingle of the tiny droplets, but the only droplets I wanted was blood. The Regulator teams had all been assembled and we were grouped just below the hill to the Bilderberg Oil Rig and Research Facility. We had to walk for a little over five miles to reach it, but it would be worth the wait.

"Squad Leader Sigma," Pike began, "Your orders are to engage all entrance guards. Make sure you keep their guns aimed on you."

"Yes sir!" he sounded like a mindless drone.

"Squad Leaders, Green and Blue, I need your teams to engage all threats in the facility. Open a hole for Team Red to enter and retrieve the data," he ordered.

"Yes sir!" they barked in unison

Joy ran up my spine. The fun part starts now. My revenge will be sweet and the path of blood I leave behind me will be sweeter. I will leave no one standing. nothing will breathe. However, I also needed to retrieve something of my own while I'm here. I need names, names of those involved in the REX 84 operation. The operation that ended my life as a human being.

The Ground-Officer looked at me and almost sensed my eagerness to kill. He smiled, not a happy smile, but a nervous one. His eyes gave away his uncertainty, yet it faded within a blink of an eye.

"Squad Leader….34115," he sounded, "get in, download the files, and get out."

"Yes Sir," I said cold and firm as if maybe I actually cared.

The groups blasted off up the hill and the operation began. Their boots splattered in the mud as they ran for the building. The crackle of gun fire and wail of sirens immediately drenched everything around me. Bullets raced past my ears, buzzing like pestering mosquitoes. I could barely see which way they were coming from.

After the groups divided into their appropriate sections, I waited behind cover until the signal sounded. A blazing flash exploded from behind me, rushing towards the building. Time to move. My team darted in the direction of the light as it disappeared into an explosion of fire. They made us a pretty big door.

I ran through the onslaught of rain, firing my weapon at no mercy. Every moving body I saw was gunned down in a frenzy of bullets. Joy surged through my spine as bodies fell. It was a shame I could not stay outside and continue this.

Once inside the gaping hole in the facility's wall, I switched my pace into a slow, steady predator-like motion. Anything moving in my path will taste bullets through their skulls. Lights flickered on and off; shadows retracted and grew along the pristine white floors.

The footsteps of my team echoed down the hall as we approached the database hall. A sudden burst of footsteps sounded from around the corner infront of us. A group of FEMA officers peered from around the corner loaded with assault rifles. Out of pure instinct, I raised my gun with a sudden burst of speed.

I unloaded my weapon on each officer, starting with the closest to me. One by one, they fell. My opponents hadn't even a chance to pull their triggers as my team aided me in fire. Their shots were uniform and planned out. Mine were erratic and savage.

There was no mercy for these government pigs. I darted forward like a mad lion for a zebra. There was one officer left as the rest lay in a pile of their own vile blood. My mind faded from thought and common sense. My vision was tunneled onto my target. I slid across the floor with my rifle aimed skyward. With a smooth motion, I had barely slid just under my crouched enemy with the barrel of my gun placed against his unprotected chin. I smiled as I pulled the trigger.

SPLAT!

Blood and brains rained the hall. The one white space was now an abyss of red. I tried to hold back my sense of joy but a smile spread across me from beneath my mask. On the exterior, however; I held a strong reserve. I only breathed heavily and continued on down the hall. Behind me, the rattle of gunfire grew louder and I knew that the fight had now reached the inside of the building. Time was running out.

We ran down the last hall and into the database room. The lights were off and a strange darkness loomed in the air. Monitors were glowing with information still within their LED screens. This didn't feel right. There should be staff in here; there should have been a fight.

"GET DOWN NOW!" I screamed and hit the ground with a strategic roll.

Guns fired from all corners of the dark room. It was a fucking ambush! Goddamn bastards. I pushed myself against a desk and began firing into the dark corners of the room. Bodies fell left and right like insects in a bug-zapper. Within a few seconds they had been disposed of.

I stood up to see a body hiding behind a monitor. His body shivered in fear and from where I stood, I saw that he wore no FEMA armor. He was of no fucking interest to me.

I shot a bullet into the screen and watched as it exited the machine and entered the skull of the man behind it. His body fell limp to the floor like a rag doll dropped from the hands of a child.

I walked to the mainframe in the center of the room. Its hulking mass was enough to confuse any man of just how much technological shit it possessed. I found the connection port and began to download my requested information. After this, I began to look for the files which I needed personally.

"Sir, the battle's almost reached us," said my only remaining teammate, "We gotta go!"

I looked at him and laughed. It was that peppy little spit-fuck from earlier. The one that smiles. I'm surprised he made it this far. I raised my gun and popped a quick bullet into his head. I never like him.

"Didn't mommy teach you to have some fucking patience?"

After searching the REX 84 Prisoner Record Directory, I found my file. Inside would hold all I needed to know. Locations….names….a past as shadowy and hazed as night itself. I opened and began to read:

WARNING: The information you are about to read is Classified FEMA Information. DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU ARE AUTHORIZED UNDER FEMA ORDERS

Name: Thomas Allen  
I.D. 34115  
Age: 30  
Height: 6 ft  
Weight: 195 Lbs.  
Hometown: Oklahoma City, Ok  
Known Contacts: Jessabelle Allen (I.D. 34116)  
Military service: U.S. Marine Corps/ Noncom.  
Occupation: Former talk show host of, American Liberty (canceled by FEMA for protest against FEMA and U.N. operations)  
Status: Suspected of treasonous acts of speech and outcries against FEMA and U.N. operations  
-Alive/ Escaped (EXTREMLY DANGEROUS)-  
Location: Fort Worth FEMA Camp, TX

That's right, you read it…I'm an ex-marine. You didn't think I learned all that fancy shit just now did you? I scrolled through the file attachments. AHA! I found it. The names of all the big shots responsible for the capture of Prisoner 34115. They will all die a slow and gruesome death if she isn't alive. I only hope hell can try and match the pain I will bring to them.

I waited in impatience as my hit-list printed. Slowly, it revealed itself from the printer. The names were printed in black, ironicly they themselves will be printed in red. I slipped the paper into the fold of my helmet.

I then scrolled through the other attachments of my file and found the real objective I'm looking for. Prisoner 34116. I read the file from top to bottom:

Name: Jessabelle Allen  
I.D: 34116  
Age: 28  
Height: 5 Ft. 4"  
Weight: 150 Lbs. (170 Lbs. /W child/)  
Home town: Denver, CO  
Known Contacts: Thomas Allen (I.D: 34115)  
Occupation: None  
Status: Suspected of association with suspected criminals of treasonous acts of speech.  
-Alive/Detained-  
Location: Women's Detention and Correctional Center, Houston, TX

I had what I needed. I would find her and kill these men if need be. Then we could make a life for ourselves and our child somewhere in Mexico. Off the radar and out of FEMA's immediate jurisdiction.

The sounds of gunshots just outside the door, drug me by my balls back to reality. I suddenly remembered I had to get out of here. I leaped over desks and pressed my body against the wall next to the door. With my rifle, I pushed the door open to survey the area. Just outside, a small group of FEMA officers were battling the mass majority of Alpha Team.

Their backs were turned to me. Bad idea. I raised my gun and picked off the group with ease. I them blasted past the team as the FEMA backup had arrived. Rocket launchers were being fired at the group. I heard the wails of men and the crackle of explosions just beyond my ass. Fuck this!

With a long and quick paced, sprint, I was back out of the hole I had once entered and I was on my way back down the hill to the convoy. I slid down the hill as if I was sliding into the home plate of a baseball game. SAFE!

Pike looked at my finesse antic and smiled. He held his hand out without a word. He already knew I succeeded. I handed him the drive and he looked away to grab his radio. His face was firm with joy and determination.

"Mission is a success. Everyone fallout!"


	7. Chapter 6

******************The Journey Begins**

The ride home would have been an enjoyable one for any soldier. They told fascinating stories of their kills and their part in the mission. Some told of their families back home, others of the antics of youth. However; I am no soldier. I'm not even fucking human anymore. I'm a mad dog chasing a fast car.

I sat alone on the vehicle. Away from the groups of men visiting the night away. The bumps of the road might almost lull me to sleep if the damn seat wasn't so un-fucking-comfortable. My suit was dotted with blood and the other men somehow knew I had an intense night.

"So, tell me champ," someone began, "How cool was that, huh?"

I looked at him from beneath my cold lenses. Emotion was absent and my soul was empty. I raised upper body to begin speaking. Everyone was all-ears to what I had to say. As if I really had a bad ass story. And I just might have. But they weren't going to hear it.

"I have no problem using this gun again tonight," I smirked with an ominous tone.

The guys were quiet the rest of the night. Their lively spirits were crushed and the cheer of victory was now bittersweet. When I look back on it, I really did not want to have to do it. But I had to. It was my new nature, it was all I could do anymore. Destroy. Kill. What has become of me? What will she think of me when she sees me?

That night, everything was a haze. My neck was sore and my arms ached from lactic acid. I didn't sleep at all that night. Her face just haunted my memory as it did every single night since I arrived here as a prisoner. Why was she taken from me?

I watched as the sun came up, my scarred eye lids were bagged and heavy as the light pierced my vision. My lips and mouth were completely dry. My body ached from yesterday's battle. I left my mask and uniform on the ground next to my cot and drifted into the makeshift mess hall in the cafeteria. I grabbed the sorry excuse for food and a canteen of shitty water.

After eating, I placed back on my uniform. It had almost become who I was. There was no person under this suit. Just a scarred monster. I walked to Pike's tent after dressing. Inside, the Officer sat on his bed and looked into a tiny gold locket. It held a picture of a little girl. Her blonde hair glistened in the picture and her blue eyes were emeralds against the light.

He looked at me and quickly put the locket away as if to hide it from me. I could see a tiny tear peep out of his eye just before his tough exterior returned again. Maybe I wasn't the only one to loose it all in this fucked up universe. Maybe I'm not the only one tired of this shit.

"What brings you here, 34115?" he asked.

"I've done what you've asked of me. Now it's your turn to help me," I stated, "I need a ride out to Houston."

Pike looked almost shocked my request. He stood up from his sitting position and looked at me mask to face. If he fucking says no, I will kill him. I promise I will.

"You're in luck," the Officer began, "I just got a call from HQ saying that they need a squad to be sent to take out two major camps in that area. One outside of Dallas and the other is just outside FEMA HQ in Houston. I'm sure if you tag along, they will drop you off."

"Great, I gotta fucking car pool with these bastards again?" I snapped.

Pike retorted, Well it's better than fucking walking the whole way, ain't it?"

"Sometimes I wonder," I replied.

He laughed and grabbed a radio from off his desk, "I'll let them know you're coming. Convoy's down by the gate."

I left the tent with a strange feeling in my head. Had I just gotten myself in a bigger mess? When is this baby-shit going to end? I walked to the large twelve-wheel convoy. Its motor hummed and roared. The squad was almost packed and ready to leave when I had arrived.

"Hey, just go ahead and take a seat anywhere!" the squad leader yelled, "We'll be ready in just a second!"

I entered the vehicle and sat myself in the very back. Hopefully the others will be smarter than the group from last night and leave me alone. As I sat, a familiar face entered. Officer Pike smirked and climbed into a seat near mine.

He smiled and said, "I couldn't let you have all the fun! I'll let Officer Jameson take care of this place."

I almost grinned myself. Well at least I won't be the only bad ass going on this trip. I sat back and relaxed as the rest of the squad funneled into the bus. Their usual peppy and happy chatter was nothing more than silent whispers. Maybe this trip was going to be better than I had originally planned.

While I sat back, my head began to race once more. I never truly understood how deep in this shit I truly am. I thought of last night's mayhem and how much I enjoyed it that night. Then, my ever-present regret found its way back in my mind.

Maybe if I had just gone ahead and took that government job all those years ago, I might not be here right now. I just might be sitting in my bed holding her. God, I want that old life back more than I want my next breath. The life where everything's right-side-up. You might ask me, why live in the Past? That's easy. The past is all I have left….


	8. Chapter 7

**Destination: Houston**

Shit. Of course there are road checkpoints. Why wouldn't FEMA have fucking checkpoints on all major roads? I cracked my neck to loosen the stiffness that had set in during the drive. It made a satisfying crackle as the ligaments and joints shifted places. I grabbed my blood-stained rifle and began to load it with the shitty 7mm bullets I was given.

An amplified authoritarian voice came into my hearing from outside, "This is not an allowed vehicle for civilian use. Come out now with your hands up, or we will force you out. Either way is fine by us!"

The convoy pulled to a complete stop. Everyone around me was ready for the plan that Pike had established during the ride. It was a clever one, I must admit. I cocked and readied my weapon for the surprise attack. This wouldn't last long.

General Pike signaled for the doors to be opened. As they did so, he signaled for me to ready the door on the top of the vehicle. Our movements were smooth, efficient and quiet. He signaled for the men to exit and each one did so. They came out arms into the air and lay onto the ground side by side as ordered.

Their weapons were placed onto the pavement showing their submission. Once everyone was in their surrendered position, Pike nodded to me to begin. With one quick motion, the hatch was raised and my gun was already aimed on the first target. Like a demon from hell, I unleashed my ammo upon the unsuspecting FEMA bastards.

Bullets bounced off of vests and helmets, but the vast majority entered the soft unprotected areas. Suddenly I ducked back into the car as my opponents acted swiftly in return fire. Bullets whispered words of death above my head. When I retreated, the men along with Pike had reclaimed their weapons and began to finish where I had left off.

I leaped out of the convoy and shifted my way along the line of men ass I had done so many times during my marine days. God, why so many memories? I pulled out my semi-automatic pistol and worked my way into the small toll office next to the now bloody road.

Inside, I took the first opponent by his neck and rode the gun into his sternum. I fired three or four shots to ensure his cooperation in him being my meat-shield. I placed the barrel to his head and fired rounds into the remaining two officers from his head. Tactical marine shit, right. Well fuck that, I'm not marine anymore.

I grabbed some FEMA guns, ammo, and gear from the booth and loaded them into the convoy. Now we could disguise ourselves during the next checkpoint. Personally, I don't see why we just don't fight every single one of them from here to Dallas. But it makes it easier for the pussies to handle.

Once back inside the truck, we moved on down the road. The closer we got to the city-areas, the worse the images became. I could see smoke blanketing the sky in the distance with filthy black arms of death. Houses were burnt and torn from the inside out from riots and gangs. Streets flowed with the blood of the innocent. Signs of "Apocalypse now" and "Fuck FEMA" were spray-painted on playgrounds and elementary schools.

I thought it really added flavor to this fucked up world. I was surprised by the creativity despite the misery. I was a tad bit tickled, even. After a full day of travel, we found ourselves in grand ol' fucking Arlington, Texas. One of the few places I had actually heard about. A gang town. A place where FEMA didn't have its dick stuck in. According to Pike we were going to camp out in a little hotel just inside the city. Of course, it just happened to be crawling with a drug-addicted, psychotic killer gang. Well at least tonight won't be a boring one.

"Well boys, here we are. Welcome to your luxury resort!" he remarked, "There's one problem….it's filled with rowdy guests who wont let us sleep tonight. So if you want to get some rest, go kick some ass!"

The squad roared with blood thirst and for once, I joined in. This would actually be fun. I won't even need my rifle for this. I pulled out my knife and pistol we emptied out of the vehicle. We slowly approached the lobby door and with the signal, I kicked the door down. Let's begin some fucking carnage.

The squad rolled into the dimly lit roach hotel. Guns loaded we looked for the gang. Nothing….god damnit. Wait, suddenly a door to our side burst open into a splinter of wood chips. A hoard of rotten, infested drug addicts bled in like ants to a picnic. This was the society as we knew it.

I began firing at each target. They jumped at me from each direction. They were soon flies as they dropped before me. I turned each direction with a quick shot to each one. Then more began to surround me. My knife and pistol duo took control in a gory tango.

BANG! Slash! Crack! BANG!

Suddenly a huge tattooed fucker came at my side with a baseball bat; I turned ever so slightly into his body where his bat was out of hitting distance. Instantaneously I stuck my knife into his arm and placed a bullet into his methed-out head. Good riddance.

While he fell, I grabbed the bat. Teamed with my gun, I smashed in a woman's skull who was at my side. Her head made a satisfying crunch as it made contact with her temple. I then pivoted behind me to meet a thug behind me committed to a gun battle with a squad member.

Thump.

Not no more. I soon found myself in the pool area, I don't know how exactly. Within seconds I had two men on each side of me. Running off of pure instinct, I dropped the bat and my body returned to its marine combat days. I took the arm of one gang member, twisting it behind him. In doing so, I had already shot the other point blank in between the eyes.

I turned into the man whom I had full control of and placed a rib-shattering kick into his center. He became a tower and crumbled over into the pool. I made sure he did not return to the surface. Now that was fun.  
Soon, there were few enemies left to kill. The one who were smart enough, took their weapons and retreated to the dark recesses of the hotel. We can always find them later if need be. I, along with the rest of the team, sat on the lobby floor. Fuck, I'm actually a little tired.

"Damn, '115! Where'd you learn to fight like that?" asked one man

"Can you teach me that sweet ass kick?" another asked.

Pike moved into the group and sat down, "Alright men, let's leave the residential bad-ass alone, huh? Damn, I'm forty-two fucking years too old for this shit."

His face was sweaty and a cut bled from the side of his forehead. His black hair had peeking streaks of gray beginning to show. For his age, he wasn't that bad a fighter either. I sense he used to be a soldier in his time as well. Even if that was in Vietnam. He gave me an experienced nod and laid down.

After the dead bodies were thrown in the supply closet, we sat up camp. We laid out our bags to sleep in. I haven't had that kind of a thrill in a long time. For a moment, I actually almost forgot who I had become in these last few months. I'm not going to get close to these guys, hell I might even have to kill them if I need to, but they weren't all that bad.


	9. Chapter 8

**************************Keep Moving**

"Wake up men!"

Pike's loud and commanding voice thundered in my ears, pulling me out of my nest of slumber. I rose to my feet weapons in hand and looked at the officer as he stirred the rest of the men. His eyes were swollen and baggy, there was a slight distance in his voice. Something had went to shit.

"I just got word the FEMA retaliated quicker than expected to our raid of the Fort Worth and Bilderberg facility. They implemented a counter attack last night," his voice began to trail, "Everyone is dead as of now. All that remains of the Regulators are the small training squad back at HQ and this one."  
There was a small rustle and stir among the men. I looked around at these pathetic men. That sparky resonance of hope had all but flickered out of them. As much as I hate having to associate with people anymore, I knew that if I wanted to see my Jesse ever again, I might need their help to do it. Fuck….I'm not a hero.

"Well I saw this coming," I spoke, "you didn't just expect the most ruthless and powerful police force in the world to just take it lightly did you?"

Everyone turned to me with a shocked expression. This was the first time I had actually spoken up and communicated with the squad. Maybe they thought I was going to be their leader. Well as long as they think so, maybe they will get me where I need to go.

I continued, "You didn't think those assholes who own the planet were going to excuse a tiny group of American rebels to embarrass them the way we fucking did? Men, we showed a world of tyranny that Americans never surrender even when their country does. Shit, we showed FEMA that they are nothing more than a bunch of chicken-shit pussies with guns."

I know had the entire squad at my fingertips. They clung to my words. Their morale was indebted to the words flowing from inside my emotionless mask. They brought me back to a time where my life wasn't encased in hell. I felt like a soldier again….I kinda felt like a human.

"You know what men? We are going to blast into Houston, guns blazing, get us some more weapons and men. Then we are going to destroy their will to live again. We are going to show them that this is our country and they can't do shit to us!"

They roared with passion, I knew now they would give me every ounce of power they had in them. They were mine. Unfortunately, I didn't believe a word I told them. My hope had evaporated long ago. I lived in a world that beat me senseless until I had no recollection of what the word hope meant. It doesn't matter as long as they believe it.

"Welcome to the team, son," Pike said, "Alright men, move out we hit Houston within the next few hours."

We placed the FEMA stickers on the convoy and the drivers donned the FEMA equipment. We would now get through the checkpoints with little trouble. We drove on the highway for at least twenty minutes before arriving at the checkpoint. We all remained quiet as the road agent spoke with our driver.

"Just got this load of prisoners from Fort Worth before this attack with orders to get them in the Houston Camp," he stated with perfection, hell I almost took him for an actual FEMA fucker.

"Alright, move along," he stated.

As we drove by, the officer kicked the side of our convoy. They always did that. They thought it scared the prisoners inside. It only made me angry, violently angry. I had to restrain myself from jumping out and slitting his fucking throat.

After five more checkpoints, we had arrived at our destination. We parked inside the camp and from the outside we heard the drivers speaking with the guards. Suddenly there was no more talking. The drivers had grabbed their necks and snapped them away from their bodies.

Suddenly the back doors opened and we flooded out into the area. I was hit with the familiar stench of death. Everything I had experienced at Fort Worth came back to me in a violent flash. My arms and legs ached. My face burned. I felt naked in the heat. Jennings's devilish laugh pounded my ears.

The camp siren sounded, pulling me back to reality. I raised my rifle and waited as the events fast-forwarded in front of me. A regulator fell in slow motion at my side as did another.

"SNIPERS!" Someone screamed.

I reacted quickly with my sights in the surrounding watch towers. There they were. Their scopes set to pick us off one by one. We shot at them from our distance. Some fell, others were too far off. I heard Pike's voice bark orders as the ground patrols flooded into the campground.

" '115 you and Johnson take the snipers!"

I darted down the side of the camp, taking quick cover everywhere I could. The young soldier followed in close. I did not stop, thus keeping the sniper from taking a clear shot. Within moments we had reached the tower. I climbed the wooden ladder just underneath leading into where the sniper was placed.

"You stay down here and cover me!" I barked at the man.

I leaped up into the tower and kicked the gun away from the officer who held it point blank at my face as I entered. With a quick thrust, I threw myself into the guard and let my knife lead into his side. I then pushed him over the side of the tower. Bye-bye.

Quickly thinking, I grabbed the sniper rifle which lay just at my feet. I aimed it across the camp at the remaining tower. Perfect. I had a clear shot at the last sniper.

Click. BANG!

I then aimed my scope at the remaining guards engaged in a fire fight with the squad. Both sides had received heavy casualties. It's time I end this.

Click. BANG! Sck! Click. BANG! Sck! Click. BANG!

It was almost a soothing poem in my head as heads popped into explosions of brain matter. The sweet rhythm of battle would always be something I'd never forget. After two more well placed shots, the camp was ours. Within the next hour, women and children were escorted out of the camp and given food and directions to safer places. Men were suited up and given guns. I'm sure few of them could actually use them correctly but it was the closest thing to reinforcement we had.

We gathered all the equipment and supplies we needed. We were then order to set this place ablaze. As we did so, I looked around. Why did I feel so strange about putting this place to ash? I hated it with every once of hate I could muster. Why?

Soon the camp was nothing more than a ring of fire. Flames engulfed the area in its hateful grasp. Blankets of smoke filled the air and intoxicated the sky in its drunken, black dance. We left very quickly as we knew that FEMA would set its cross hairs on us within an hour.

Just like that, we were back on the road. My past, just like that camp, was a raging fire. It had consumed me and my sanity. It had burned me alive. Yet the journey continues….maybe I can make it to her after all. Maybe there was…..hope..


	10. Chapter 9

******************************A Minor Speed Bump **

The trip had almost become a routine. We would drive, pass through a checkpoint be it violent or otherwise, then we would camp in the nearest town by nightfall. And through this travel, I had become almost a part of this team. Somehow they drug almost the human nature back out of me.

However, like everything in my life; things never went as planned. I waited, crouched down with my weapon in front of me as we approached the final checkpoint. Things seemed to flow as smoothly as they had been previously.

The officer walked up to the driver and engaged conversation. But this time it was different. There was hostility in his tone. He knew we were coming.

"What do we have here?" he smirked, "prisoners you say? ALRIGHT BOYS ROUND 'EM UP!"

Suddenly the back doors flung open and guns were already aimed on us. Damn. Well I can't say this wasn't surprising. This was FEMA, they had control of this country, they weren't entirely incompetent. Within seconds, we were drug out of our vehicle and relieved of our weapons.

With a pistol held to my head, I was drug down and wrestled into submission. My hands were bound behind me. I was a prisoner again. Enslaved by the world I lived in. The officer looked fiercely unto us with a vile look as if to cast us into hell. Is it even impossible for a human to have that much hate in one stare?

One guard came up to me, I could tell his intentions before he performed them. His mouth gave off a light smirk as he thrust his foot into my face. My ears rang and my face was jarred into the ground behind me, however; I hardly felt the pain. I could feel the warm trickle of blood from the corner of my lip.

This fucking little bitch, hitting me? Hell no. I've been through too much shit to take an insignificant coward attempting to put me in my place. He sensed my anger and his faced gleamed with putrid enjoyment; just like Jennings used to do. When I get out of here….

My neck was grasped from behind. The hand clamped upon my skin like a cobra. With a sudden swipe, my mask and helmet were ripped from my face. The scared and beaten remains of my face were revealed to the officers. Their expressions became grimaces. Their eyes were filled with disgust.

So here I am. Stuck in a FEMA checkpoint stripped of my weapon and my identity. I could see the buildings just beyond the bundles of barbed wire and blocks of cement. They barely peaked into my view but there I knew lie the city I had worked so hard to reach. I would not be stopped so close. I would not be denied.

Maybe that same God, who laughed at my pain and brought me more pain than one man should ever bare, gave me something I had never received from anyone; maybe he answered my prayer. I heard a sudden commotion at the front gate.

I turned to see FEMA officials running into a wall of smoke. Yells and chants roared like a raging sea. What the fuck was happening? The smoke retreated from the scene before my eyes and what I saw shocked me to my very core.

Just outside the checkpoint was a crowd of people far out-matching the ten officers. Their faces were strong with defiance. In their hands were rocks, sticks, crude Molotov cocktails, and pistols. They were outmatched in weapons but not so in number and power.

Their riot soon over powered the officers and within an hour, we were freed. I retrieved my weapon and returned my face to its shame of my mask. I saw the faces of men and women whom had managed to remain uncaptured and unbroken, showing they weren't afraid. They risked their lives and freedoms for what they believed in. These were the real Americans. For the first time since my capture, I thanked God.

The shear violence and murder I had just witnessed brought me into my zone. My veins pumped with adrenaline and my heart ached for what I had endured over a month to achieve. A new feeling had entered my mind, had it been there all along? I felt hopeful.


	11. Chapter 10

**********************************Chapter 10: I'm Here, Baby**

Bullet rounds rattled the air around me. I could hear the clink and clank of empty shells falling to the paved and worn roads as we drove through the Dallas streets. Above the echo of gunshots, I could hear the roar of the crowds. They marched with a force unmatched by the thunders of Hell.

We drove the convoy down the final street. I could see the camp ground just before me. My heart emptied into my stomach. This was it. Time to claim my prize and gain back what was taken from me.

A zip line of air shot just my ear. The wind it carried tickled me and beckoned me with its whispers of death. I spun within my mounted position atop the vehicle to see a FEMA truck in pursuit. Fuck. Can't I get rid of these guys? Just once?

I fired in rapid retaliation and eliminated the gunmen. His body became a ragdoll, leaving the roof of the vehicle to topple end for end on the unforgiving asphalt. I opened fire on the pursuing truck. Bullets ricocheted in every direction, failing to leave a mark on the motorized rhino.

I needed to hurry. We were approaching the camp at full speed and we could not proceed with the truck on our tail. I felt around underneath the seat which I was mounted. Quickly I felt something round and metal. There it is. I pulled out a frag-grenade from inside. It felt cold as its metallic gleam flickered in my eyes.

Removing the safety pin, I left the projectile in the hands of fate. Its electronic warnings beeped as I held it in my hand. This had to be timed perfect. Through my vast experience with explosives, I counted off three seconds. Suddenly, I released the explosive from my hand into the air.

The grenade met the ground and bounced upon impact just beneath the FEMA vehicle. I chuckled as the car ignited into a mass of flames. The drivers and everything around it had been swallowed by the explosion, and the car itself had been released from its earthly confines. It entered the air before toppling back down end for end in the road.

Meanwhile, our truck had begun its drifting stop just inside the camp. I left my perch and into the convoy. The men were not leaving. They seemed to be preparing for something more. I looked up to Pike, whom also sat with an expression of distant reserve. He then looked at me.

"Well, this is your stop, 34115….we wish we could stay and assist you," the General began, "but there the FEMA HQ is just a few blocks from here."

I suddenly realized what he planned on doing and for some reason, I truly and sincerely cared. These people, despite my hostile, inhuman behavior had treated me like their own. They made me feel like part of a team again. They made me feel like a Marine.

"That's suicide! With just this number of men, you might not even make it to the fucking gate." I warned.

His face suddenly became hard and sturdy as he spoke these words I will never forget, "Sometimes a man must sacrifice everything for a cause greater than himself even if he has nothing but his life to give. I would like for you to stay and help us…but I understand. I hope you find what you're looking for."

With that, I exited the convoy with a salute to all these brave men. I would love to stay, but my destiny starts and ends with Jesse. I began to sneak and crouch through the camp as the convoy sped off into the abyss of death.

My heart pounded, not for the danger ahead, but for her safety. I found cover behind a crate where I loaded my weapon. The camp siren wailed once more. I fought off the memories that it ensued. All I could think of was her.

Footsteps began to pound towards me. Time to end this story. I left my shelter, rifle aimed for heads. My gun began to spit out unforgiving bullets into the guards. I began to strafe across the ground as I continued to fire. The counter fire began.

I took a slide behind a train car which had been parked here. It hadn't moved since it had unloaded the prisoners located here. I used the cover to my advantage and picked off the three remaining guards in front of me. I ran forward and slid into the pile of bodies I had created. I grabbed two pistols from their holsters within one smooth motion.

I looked up and saw more opponents running forward. I aimed my double-wielded weapons and mowed them down before they could even get a shot off. My body had become a machine while my mind was just an empty capsule with only one thing filling it.

I found myself at the first group of pens. Inside, men and women stood there staring at me with astounded eyes. Their clothes were rags and faces were beaten and dirty pulps of flesh. They were me and I was them. I busted open the cages and gave two men the pistols I had collected. Showing them my prison tags, they knew my intentions were not for them.

"Get them out of here," I ordered, "free anyone else you see."

With that, we parted. The guards, now confused on their directives split into two groups. Some chased after those escaping, while the rest stayed to deal with the intruder. Bad idea. I shot the two guards whom had found my location and snuck behind the other, who was still searching for me.

With a satisfying crunch, I broke the connection between his spinal cord and his head with a quick twist of the neck. I moved forward into the women's detention center. Inside the brick-walled enclosure, there was a single building that held the women. She had to be in there.  
I busted in the door like a mad dog out of his mind with rabies. I eliminated the unimpressive female officers. Man, do none of these guards have a reaction time? Just as sudden as I thought that, my arm went numb with pain. SON OF A BITCH! I turned in the direction of the pain to see a guard just behind where I had entered.

I spun into the women and grabbed her weapon with one motion. I ripped the weapon down and placed my other hand's fist into her face. Blood spattered from her face as she fell. I then sealed the deal with a stomp of my boot into the side of her skull.

Crunch!

I reentered the building with my arm in severe pain. That was the first asshole to actually shoot me. I had forgotten what being shot feels like.

I showed the ladies held in the cells my tags. They, like the others, also understood. I opened their filthy prisons and handed them the weapons of their fallen guards. However, the cell 34116 was empty. Where was she?

"Where is 34116?" I asked the ladies whom were gathering the supplies they would need to leave the camp.

They looked at me and then at each other. Something was wrong. God, please don't tell me…

"You're here for her aren't you?" one spoke up, "Jesse kept telling us about you. You must be Thomas!"

"I used to be," I replied, "So you know her? Where is she?"

She looked at me with a worried expression and she answered, "She went into labor yesterday. They took her into the medical room down the hall. I'm sorry….no one comes back from there."

NO! My wife…my child. I had to go see for myself. I blasted down the hall. Everything else was a white blur except for the sign that read: MEDICAL ROOM.

I busted into the room with a rage and fear of a blinded boar. The room was a grayish-white. The gloom and despair filled my eyes. Medical tools lay in neat rows along the tables while the blood they carried, pooled along the floor tiles.

I opened the only curtain in the room and there she was. Her once gold hair was nothing more than patches of dark blonde atop her beaten scalp. Her body was thin and sickly, unmoving and cold. The baby lie in her arms. It was a disgusting purple and completely dead. Tears filled my eyes as I threw off my mask.

I fell to the floor next to her. My entire soul vanished. GOD, WHY? WHY MY BABY? WHY MY BEUTIFUL JESSABELLE? Everything I had fought threw was for her. Jennings. The gas. EVERYTHING! I had always kept a hope in my heart that we would be together. She was all I lived for.

Now it was gone. My world spun and my arms shook. I could not hold back the tears as they rained from my burned face. Suddenly, despite all the pain I now felt; something else entered my head. I began to think of how I had once wanted to die to escape this new existence.

I realized that my wife and child were now safe. Safe from the torment that this world had begun to endure. Free from the pain and sorrow of the children screaming for parents lost. They were unchained from the relentless beating we were given by merciless demons. I know what I must do now.

I stood upon my feet and looked over my family. I knew I had done all I could and now they were safely delivered into the arms of peace. Jesse's face, despite the hell she endured was still the most beautiful face I would ever see. I kissed her cheek and then the baby's.

"Sometimes a man must sacrifice everything for a cause greater than himself even if he has nothing but his life to give."

I put my mask back and helmet back on and readied my rifle. I now know why God had allowed me to live for so long. He would not allow for someone to take my life. I was to sacrifice it myself for a world deemed too fucked up to ever be saved. Time to go blow me up a FEMA HQ.


	12. Epilouge

**********************************Epilogue**

The world was a blur. My vision was a long tunnel within a thick haze. I passed through the camp without a thought towards my colorless surroundings. I feel nothing yet I feel everything. There were no obstacles in my way…at least ones that weren't met with a bullet to the head.

I was invincible again like fucking Superman. That emotionless feeling seeped its way back into my consciousness. I flew out of the camp and down the ravenged streets. Meanwhile, the fight between the rioters and FEMA officers had found its way down the street.

Where they all came from and how long they would last didn't really matter. They would all find themselves at the same fate. I was going to end this here and now. All the lives that had been taken in this godforsaken world would not be in vein. In the distance, a tower stood above the rest. One of the three FEMA headquarters in the country. I will not be stopped.

I made my way into the chaos that insued around me. Waves of blood and smoke slapped my mask and hugged my clothes. Screams shrilled through the air. Commands and threats barked below them. Projectiles went every which way and bullets sunk into flesh like parasites. As I snuck through the mayhem, I heard the ring of a tiny child's voice.

"MOMMY!" she wailed, "I WANT MY MOMMY!"

"GET DOWN! GET DOWN NOW!" barked an inhuman FEMA officer, "I WILL USE DEADLY FORCE IF YOU DO NOT GET DOWN NOW!

The child continued to scream and cry. The rifle rose to her head. Her screams only grew louder. I tried to get a clear shot on the man. I hear her last scream and then a silence as a bullet passed through her head. He didn't even care.

With a pull of my trigger I ended his tyranny between the eyes. His lifeless body fell into the heap of others. Like I said before, consider me an agent of Karma. I continued on until I found my way at the front gate.

With guards already occupied, I entered with little resistance. I saw the Regulator convoy outside the main building. Gun shots polluted the air and men from each side fell. Dirt leaped up into my face as I slid into the side of the convoy next to a group of soldiers.

"Y-your back?" one spoke in shock.

"Yeah, let's not get pussy-foot here," I joked, "Where's Pike?"

His head sank a little, "Gone, sir."

"Then that means I'm your leader now! Get a regroup here now!" I commanded with a feeling of reflection from my past.

After the remaining guards were disposed of, the men gathered around me. This was my destiny. My purpose from God and my journey of Karma. They all believed in me and I had come to do the same in them.

I began, "Look, I know I haven't been the nicest guy in the world, but that's war. It doesn't make you a sandwich and kiss your forehead. You have to be tough in the shit of a world. But I believe in you men as I know you feel the same. Someone tell me the plan Pike had and this nightmare will end today!"

"Well, we were supposed to plant these explosives on the top floor. That's where the hard-lines, communications, and all that shit are located," he said, "But the problem is that the detonation is set to blow within 15 seconds of activation. No one would have a chance to escape."

"Give them to me. You just get everyone out of here," I spoke, "It has been nice working with you sorry Sons of Bitches."  
With a salute, I took the bomb and began to the darkness that was the building. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me….I still remember that from Sunday school.

I took out my pistol and left my rifle in the doorway. I only had twelve bullets. That was more than enough. I walked through the seemingly desolate rooms. Nothing yet. The first few floors I met nothing more than dark and unused offices with a few unarmed workers.

I felt calm and collected. I felt no fear. I felt no pain. Nothing can stop me. It wasn't until the second to the top floor that I met armed guards. I exited the elevator gun barrel first. They had been waiting for me. Three guards stood weapons aimed high.

Bang! Bang!

Two were hit between the eyes and I leaped forward into the third. With a pull, the bullet was released beneath his chin. The room was dimly lit and offered much solitude. I took the stairs up to the final floor.

Here I was met with an entirely different world. Monitors glowed all over the room. Tiles and server wires were anchored like tree roots into the ground. The FEMA Southern Division mainframe stood in the middle of the room. To my right stood an enormous window. I could see the bleak and gray world beyond it.

Suddenly five men leaped out from behind the mainframe three were dressed in full FEMA gear. I fired off as quick as I could and took out two before they could even fire. Yet a familiar stinging fire entered my shoulder and side. It instantly went cold then lukewarm with blood.

I spun into the pain and removed the lives of the other three with three or four quick shots as I fell. Goddammit. I hate getting shot. Maybe thats why I always did my best to keep that from happening.

I picked myself up from the floor. I drug myself over to the bulk of metal. The source of all data and communications in the Midwest. It is time to help right the wrong of this world. Even if it wasn't all that major, it was a start. The pain was gone. Everything was gone. I set up the explosives and took a breath.

Beep. Tck tck tck tck tck tck….

I walked over to the window and looked out upon the landscape. Smoke waved its way along the skyline while the ruins of buildings stood among the background. I thought of all the things that have happened to me.

Tck tck tck tck tck…

I remembered the sting of the Gas Chambers and the foul stench of death. I removed my mask and through it down. I ran my fingers through my scarred face and couldn't help but reflect on the face of Jennings. His snarl….my tormentor.

Tck tck. tck.

I then though of the good time in my life. The Marines. My Talk Show. It flooded back to me. The feeling of hope. God, you never let it leave me. It saw me through. As I thought, my ears chimed to the last two ticks. I raised my arms to await my fate.

Tck tck…

My ears no longer worked. My eyes closed. A behemoth of flames engulfed my entire. being. I felt myself exit the building through the window. I was burning alive yet I felt the breeze cool my soul. I was flying.

I opened my eyes for the last time. I could see her face. My Jessabelle…the source of my hope. Thanks for never leaving me. I'm coming to see you soon I hope. Just wait abit longer for me to get there.

Then, a smell entered my nostrils…Death? No. It was the smell of Despair as it exited my body, leaving behind only the smell of hope…..It has a smell too.


End file.
